Google removes Uber integration in Maps with no explanation

You can still look up the route in Maps and then "request the ride from the Uber app", Google suggests, but it has removed direct Uber booking without providing a reason. The change means that, in the United States at least, only Lyft is integrated as a route option when using Google Maps for directions.

Google Maps users can no longer use the app to book a ride with Uber, with the option quietly disappearing from both the Android and iOS versions of the mapping app.

Neither company has officially announced the removal of their services from the other, so we could be looking at an Amazon-like standoff where one company won't support the others' services owing to ongoing conflicts.

Google made a big fuss about having the ability to book an Uber through the Maps app when the functionality was added in January 2017. Tech companies fighting amongst themselves often results in the end user being inconvenienced in some way and we hope that Google and Uber sort their differences before things get too bad. As of now, Google hasn't confirmed anything as to why it dropped the feature. For all we know, Uber wants all that sweet location data that would have been otherwise hard to get via Google Maps. While the feature was active, you wouldn't even need to have the Uber app installed. But instead of continuing the process of booking a ride, you now have to tap a button that reads "open app" to schedule the auto. At first, Uber was the only ride sharing app to show up in Google Maps directions view. Google added that you can still open the Uber app and request a ride in there once you find your route. You can still compare prices from the app and head over to the one that suits your budget better.

It's unclear what prompted Google's change here, though it's worth noting that the company does have a stake in the game.